Just about anything comes out of vending machines now -- food, drinks, even wacky stuff like swimsuits and gold bars. So it's about time that more stuff went back in. New sophisticated reverse vending machines reward environmentally responsible consumers who pop in their recyclables.
Last spring, PepsiCo and its partner, the Houston-based environmental services company Waste Management Inc. announced plans to set up thousands of reverse recycling machines nationwide over the next several years. The blue and white machines are able accept up to 300 plastic bottles and aluminum cans each.
According to the Wall Street Journal, users interact with a touchscreen display, scan the recyclable's barcode, and then put it in a chute. In exchange, the recycler can get awards points or donate to charity. When the machine fills up, the bottles and cans are taken offsite to be processed.
Some lucky college students at Northwest Florida State College just got a reverse vending machine installed on campus that accepts bottles and cans. Unlike the PepsiCo machines, the RecycleTech Reverse Vending Machine crushes cans and shreds bottles right there. Sounds downright entertaining, although I wouldn't want one of these installed in a library. The machine can also hold around 400 drink containers. Normally the machine would cost $12,000 but the college got it for free with a grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
This summer the automated recycling company ecoATM got an investment from movie rental kiosk operator Coinstar to increase the number of kiosks in the U.S. and abroad. EcoATMs are self-service and accept portable consumer electronics and mobile phones that can be traded in, traded up, or recycled. The machine takes the device, automatically values it, and gives the recycler a coupon, gift card, or cash, depending on the item. Like other machines, virtuous recyclers can donate their reward to a charity.
Over the weekend I went to a local fair where workers from a local recycling company were on hand to show confused attendees like me what food waste goes in which bin. Someone clearly needs to come up with large automated composting machines that use a renewable power source. The machines would be ideal for urban areas where composting service is rare. Maybe instead of rewards, composters could choose to press a button for a nice bag of fresh soil.
Photo: The ecoATM is a self-service kiosk where users can exchange old electronic devices for cash. Credit: ecoATM.
Tags: Electronics, Gadgets, Green Tech, Recycling
comments ( )